Summary
In July 2000 (South Hemisphere winter), the Christchurch Air Pollution Study (CAPS2000) was performed in order to establish a comprehensive data set for documentation and analysis of nocturnal winter smog conditions in the Christchurch area. Field activities included meteorological surface measurements, tethersonde ascents, radiosoundings and sodar measurements. Air pollutant monitoring included CO, NO, NOx, O3, PM10, PM2.5, and black carbon measurements near the surface, and for the first time vertical CO-profile measurements in the nocturnal boundary layer up to 100 m height.
A prerequisite for nocturnal winter smog conditions is the evolution of stable stratification before the evening traffic and domestic heating reach a maximum. When stable stratification persists during domestic heating and road traffic in the morning, a second pronounced maximum of air pollutants evolves at around 0800 NZST. The meteorological measurements also revealed a complex nocturnal surface wind field, dominated by drainage winds from the Port Hills to the south and from the Canterbury Plains to the west of the Christchurch city area. A resulting convergence zone forms over the central parts of the city and is accompanied by low wind speeds. The position of the convergence zone varies during the night. These low winds over the city centre, in conjunction with stable stratification, favour the accumulation of air pollutants in the lowest tens of metres. The nocturnal winter smog situation ends with the erosion of the surface inversion at about 1100 NZST. It is shown from analysis of the vertical CO profiles that the level of air pollution in the Christchurch area depends on the height of the stable nocturnal boundary layer, which itself is governed by variations in the local wind systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
MG Barna NR Gimson (2002) ArticleTitleDispersion modelling of a wintertime particulate pollution episode in Christchurch, New Zealand. Atmos Environ 36 3531–3544 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1352-2310(02)00296-0
Businger JA (1973) Turbulent transfer in the atmospheric surface layer. In: Workshop on micrometeorology (Haugen DA, ed). Am Meteor Soc, Boston
U Corsmeier N Kalthoff O Kolle M Kotzian F Fiedler (1997) ArticleTitleOzone concentration jump in the stable nocturnal boundary layer during a LLJ-event. Atmos Environ 31 1977–1989 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S1352-2310(96)00358-5
Environment Canterbury (2000) Annual air quality monitoring report 1999. Report no. 00/78 by T. Aberkane, Christchurch
GW Fisher (2000) ArticleTitleChristchurch Air Pollution Study. Clean Air Environ Quality 34 28–29
Fisher GW, Kingsland S, Kuschel G (1997) Christchurch inventory of total emissions. Environment Canterbury Report No. R98/20, 201 pp
H Güsten G Heinrich D Sprung (1998) ArticleTitleNocturnal depletion of ozone in the upper Rhine Valley. Atmos Environ 32 1195–1202
Johnstone SJ (2000) The interaction of inversion development and katabatic winds: Implications fir air pollution in Christchurch. MSc thesis, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury
M Kossmann AP Sturman (2004) ArticleTitleThe surface wind field during winter smog nights in Christchurch and coastal Canterbury, New Zealand. Int J Climatol 24 93–108 Occurrence Handle10.1002/joc.981
Mahrt L (2003) Stably stratified boundary layer, 298–305. In: Encyclopaedia of atmospheric sciences (Holton JR, ed). Amsterdam: Academic Press
L Mahrt J Sun W Blumen T Delany S Oncley (1998) ArticleTitleNocturnal boundary-layer regimes. Bound Layer Meteorol 88 255–278 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1001171313493
MP McCauley AP Sturman (1999) ArticleTitleA study of orographic blocking and barrier wind development upstream of the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Meteorol Atmos Phys 70 121–131 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s007030050029
HA McGowan AP Sturman (1996) ArticleTitleRegional and local scale characteristics of foehn wind events over the South Island of New Zealand. Meteorol Atmos Phys 58 151–164
IG McKendry (1983) ArticleTitleSpatial and temporal aspects of the surface wind regime on the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. J Climatol 3 155–166
IG McKendry AP Sturman IF Owens (1986) ArticleTitleA study of interaction of multi-scale wind systems, Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. Meteorol Atmos Phys 35 242–252 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01041817
IG McKendry AP Sturman IF Owens (1987) ArticleTitleThe Canterbury Plains northeasterly. Wea Climate 7 61–74
Moody T (1983) Air pollution in Canterbury: into the ’80s or back to the ’30s? In: Canterbury at the Crossroads: Issues for the Eighties (Beford RD, Sturman AP, eds). New Zealand Geographical Society. Miscellaneous Series No. 8: 138–166
Oke TR (1987) Boundary layer climates. Methuen, London
MJ Revell JH Copeland HR Larsen DS Wratt (2002) ArticleTitleBarrier jets around the Southern Alps of New Zealand and their potential to enhance alpine rainfall. Atmos Res 61 277–298
Ryan AP (1980) Northwest drifts and night cooling in winter in Christchurch. New Zealand Meteorological Service, Technical Note No. 243, pp 9
Ryan AP (1987) The climate and weather of Canterbury (including Aorangi). New Zealand Meteorological Service, Miscellaneous Publication 115(17), 66 pp
RA Spronken-Smith AP Sturman EV Wilton (2002) ArticleTitleThe air pollution problem in Christchurch. New Zealand – progress and prospects. Clean Air Environ Quality 36 23–29
MJ Stokes PD Tyson (1981) ArticleTitleModelling average winter smoke pollution over the Christchurch urban area. Wea Climate 1 4–13
AP Sturman (1982) ArticleTitleStatistical analysis of spatial patterns of smoke concentrations in Christchurch. New Zealand Geogr 38 9–18
AP Sturman (1985) ArticleTitleAn examination of the role of local wind systems in the concentration and dispersion of smoke pollution in Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand Geogr 41 67–76
AP Sturman PD Tyson (1981) ArticleTitleSea breezes along the Canterbury coast in the vicinity of Christchurch, New Zealand. J Climatol 1 203–219
Sturman AP, Tapper NJ (1996) The weather and climate of Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 476 pp
Sturman AP, Kossmann M, Spronken-Smith RA, Zawar-Reza P (2001) The Christchurch Air Pollution Study CAPS2000 – an overview and preliminary results. Proc. 3rd Urban Air Quality Symposium: Measurement, Modelling and Management, Loutraki, pp 68–72
AD Surridge (1979) ArticleTitleAcoustic sounder operation in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1978. New Zeal J Sci 22 77–86
NJ Tapper (1990) ArticleTitleUrban influences on boundary layer temperature and humidity: Results from Christchurch, New Zealand. Atmos Environ 24B 19–27
van den Assem S (1997) Dispersion of air pollution in the Christchurch area, PhD thesis in Environmental Science, University of Canterbury, 175 pp
CD Whiteman JM Hubbe WJ Shaw (2000) ArticleTitleEvaluation of inexpensive temperature data logger for meteorological applications. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 17 77–81 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0426(2000)017<0077:EOAITD>2.0.CO;2
Wilton E (2001) Christchurch inventory of air emissions – 1999, Environment Canterbury Report No. R01/28, 59 pp
Wratt DS, Salinger MJ, Clarkson TS, Imrie BW, Bromley AM, Lechner IS (1984) Airflow and pollution dispersion in a valley: The Upper Hutt study, New Zealand Meteorological Service, Scientific Report No. 4
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Corsmeier, U., Kossmann, M., Kalthoff, N. et al. Temporal evolution of winter smog within a nocturnal boundary layer at Christchurch, New Zealand. Meteorol. Atmos. Phys. 91, 129–148 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-005-0111-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-005-0111-5